1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of water delivery fixtures. More specifically the present invention relates to a hybrid shower head water pick apparatus which combines a dental water pick and a shower head for alternate use so that water pick dental cleaning can be conducted in the shower. The apparatus includes a first pipe segment fitted with an attachment nut for screwing onto a threaded end of a shower pipe protruding outwardly from shower stall wall, a flow directing switch valve having a shuttle valve intake end which is secured to the first pipe segment outward end, and having a shower head output branch to which a shower head is secured with the shower stream ports directed outwardly into the shower stall and a water pick output branch to which a water pulsing and pick assembly is secured, and having a valve operation handle for delivering water flow alternatively to the shower head and to the water pulsing and pick assembly.
The water pulsing and pick assembly preferably includes a water pulsing unit secured to the water pick output branch, a flexible water pick tube having a tube first end and a tube second end, the tube first end being secured to the water pulsing unit, and a water pick secured to the tube second end. A tube supporting hook preferably engages and protrudes laterally downward from the first pipe segment.
The flexible water pick tube preferably is a hydrodynamic hose, and the tube first end preferably includes a tube attachment nut for securing the tube first end to the water pulsing unit. The shower head preferably is conventional. The water pick preferably is also conventional, and includes a tubular pick body in the form of a pick handle segment including a pick valve and having a handle segment first end secured to the tube second end and a pick nozzle secured to the handle segment second end. The pick valve preferably includes an actuator button which turns the water pick on and off. The pick nozzle preferably is a hollow needle nozzle having a nozzle longitudinal curve for improved access to a variety of tooth and gum locations, and preferably is formed of plastic and is replaceable. An inventive water pulsing unit is provided including a spring-loaded diaphragm and duel valves, which cause the diaphragm to oscillate and release pulses of water through the water pick.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been water picks for connecting to sink faucets to clean teeth and gums, and shower heads for connecting to shower pipes for cleaning the rest of the body. A shower stall fully contains the water sprayed from the shower head, but nothing prevents water scattered by a sink-mounted water pick from spotting bathroom surfaces such as mirrors. In addition, dental cleaning with the water pick becomes a separate task from showering, requiring mounting and removing the water pick from the sink faucet before and after use.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a shower water pick which is connected to the shower water supply together with the shower head and thus is used in the shower stall so that showering and water pick dental cleaning become a single combined task, and so that spray from the water pick is contained within the stall and washed down the shower drain.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a shower water pick in which the water pick is mounted to an end of a flexible tube so that the water pick can be lowered to the level of a user mouth and maneuvered as needed, and subsequently hung on the shower pipe to be out of the way behind the shower head.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a shower water pick which is easy to use.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a shower water pick which is durable and inexpensive to manufacture.